One result of the expanded role for Lady Temmere in “Relvan’s Rescue” was my decision to begin the story a few scenes “later” than where I originally started it. Where to start your fantasy fiction story is both an important and difficult decision to make. You only get one chance to hook the reader, to [...]
Entries Categorized as 'Tips & Tools'
Where do you start a story
Filed under Tips & Tools on April 7, 2009
Tagged: fantasy fiction, novels, short stories
Growing an outline into a story
Filed under Tips & Tools on January 20, 2009
Tagged: fantasy fiction, outlines, Shattered Amulet
I write using an outline. If you’re doing work-for-hire, you’ll probably have to turn in a chapter-by-chapter outline before you turn in a manuscript. I know there are many writers out there who prefer not to work with an outline, however. I find outlines to be invaluable tools for keeping a story on track and [...]
7 Steps to designing a culture
Filed under Tips & Tools on November 25, 2008
Tagged: cultures, fantasy fiction, world-building
I recently attended an employer-mandated cultural competency course, and while I don’t feel any more culturally competent than I did before the workshop, one of the exercises we participated in provided a great template for constructing a detailed culture in twenty minutes. I’ve talked before about how important it is to flesh out cultures when [...]
Stopping the rush
Filed under Tips & Tools on September 18, 2008
Tagged: fantasy fiction, outlines, pacing, rushed endings
A real American hero once said, “Knowing is half the battle.” We’ve talked about what causes writers to rush their endings. Now we need to identify some solutions for stopping the rush. You can’t–and shouldn’t–rely upon your editor or critique group to always hold up a “Slow Down” sign. Take steps to prevent rushing before [...]
Why the rush?
Filed under Tips & Tools on September 16, 2008
Tagged: deadlines, fantasy fiction, rushed endings, word counts
Rebecca over at A Christian Worldview of Fiction was trying to figure out why she was rushing through the ending of her manuscript last week. I commented on a couple reasons, but there can be several factors that result in a writer rushing through the end of a story. I’ve read my fair share of [...]
